The Management of Cardiovascular Diseases in Patients with Hemophilia: The French Coche Registry

Introduction: Over the last decades, life expectancy of patients with hemophilia (PWH) has significantly improved and therefore, age-related comorbidities like cardiovascular disease (CVD) are now common features. Using antithrombotic and antiplatelet agents, as needed for managing CVD, proves complex in PWH given that these drugs, along with the often required invasive procedures, interfere with hemostasis; general recommendations are not applicable as such.

Method: To collect data on current real-life practices in this patient population, the COCHE registry (COmorbidités Cardiovasculaires chez les patients HEmophiles) has been implemented back in July 2011. This French observational study sought to describe prospectively the management of CVD in PWH who require treatment with antiplatelet agents, antithrombotics, or both.

Results: By January 2018, this registry had prospectively included 67 PWH: 59 hemophilia A and 8 hemophilia B patients (47 mild, 10 moderate, and 10 severe), with a median age of 65±12.5 years. Overall, 52 patients were included for coronary artery disease (CAD) and 16 for atrial fibrillation (AF), with one patient presenting both CAD and AF. Among the 67 patients enrolled, 49 were receiving on-demand replacement therapy. Identified cardiovascular risk factors were arterial hypertension (n=44), overweight or obesity (n= 35), dyslipidemia (n=30; four tested positive for human immune deficiency virus [HIV]), smoking (n=17), family coronary disease history (n=11), non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) (n=11), and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) (n=3).

Conclusion: The proposals discussed herein are largely based on the experience we gained whilst managing PWH with CVD from the COCHE registry. To us, a multidisciplinary approach appears paramount.